Jobs boost expected from defence firm's expansion
BBCA defence firm says the opening of a new factory in a city could create more jobs in the future.
NP Aerospace, which makes a range of protective equipment and body and vehicle armour, opened the new building in Coventry on Friday.
The site, which includes 80,000 sq ft (7,432 sq m) of space for armoured vehicles, will mainly be used to work on contracts for military vehicles.
Mary Creagh, the MP for Coventry East, cut the ribbon at the factory and said it would support job growth in the UK and the country's defence needs in "very uncertain times".
Creagh told the BBC the site would be equipping vehicles for "world-leading defence organisations" such as the British Army and other customers from Nato countries, like Belgium and Sweden.
She described Coventry as a city which was renowned for inventing the bicycle and the jet engine.
"This is a world-class manufacturing facility at the heart of our city," she added.
James Kempston, NP Aerospace's chief executive, said they were growing into a "bigger more capable facility" to support sales over next couple of years.
"NP Aerospace has expanded in the city partially because this is our home base in the UK," he said.
"We have another facility just up the street where we've got our personal armour, vehicle armour and composite production.
"We're expanding because we've got a lot of contracts that have come in and we're growing as a business and we're looking at a central location to do it."
Mr Kempston added the firm was growing in both size and capacity and in terms of local jobs.
"From high-skilled fabricators and mechanics and vehicle fitters but also on the engineering and programme management side and business operation side to support the growth," he explained.
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